Deliverance

Sowing In Tears, Reaping In Joy - Psalm 126

10:00 AM

Psalm 126, 2 Samuel 5:17-25

Easter is one of my favorite times of year. Because it’s a season of reflection, renewal, and rebirth. Christians around the world celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While equally joyous Jews, celebrate the wonderful feast of Passover, thanking God for their freedom from Egypt. Both celebrations are rooted in joy and gratitude. Psalm 126 is also rooted in joy and gratitude. And contains some lessons we can reflect on as we commemorate this most holy holiday.


Gratitude for deliverance - “The Lord has done great things for us.” Even though the Israelites remembered the pain and sorrow of their captivity, they could now laugh and sing. Because they knew it was the Lord who brought them out of slavery and restored their fortunes. We too should be filled with gratitude for the good things in our lives and the ways God has delivered us from past troubles.


Perseverance in difficult times - “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.” Because of all they endured, Israel went through a period of weeping and sowing in tears. But their perseverance ultimately led to a period of joyful harvest. Difficult times will come for us all. But if we remain steadfast and persevere, God will take the seeds of our tears and make them blossom into enormous joy. 


Trust in God's promises - “He who goes to and fro weeping shall indeed come again with a shout of joy.” Even as they were forced into captivity, the Israelites never gave up hope that God would fulfill His promise to one day restore them to their land. And had faith in His ability to continue to bless them in the future. We too can trust and have faith that as our heavenly Father, God will always provide for the needs of His children.


As we head into Holy Week, and follow the footsteps of Jesus to the Cross, Psalm 126 encourages us to trust in God's faithfulness and provision, even in difficult times. Our present struggles are not the end of the story, and God can bring beauty and joy out of even the darkest situations. All we need to do is sow seeds of faithfulness, even when it involves hardship, and trust in God's promises of restoration and redemption.


Pause and Reflect - 

In the midst of troubles do you live in fear and worry, or do you find comfort remembering the times God has delivered you in the past? What are some situations in which we might find ourselves "sowing in tears" and hoping for a “bountiful harvest?”


Lets Pray Together -

Our dearest Father in heaven above, Ruler and Creator of all things, hallowed be Thy name. Father we come before You with grateful hearts. We thank You for Your faithfulness and the joy that comes with the restoration of what was once lost. Father we ask that You bring that same joy and restoration to our lives. Whether we are in a season of captivity or simply feeling lost and discouraged, we know that You are a God of redemption.  Help us to trust in Your plan for our lives, knowing that you work all things for good. May we be a people who sow seeds of faith and obedience, even in difficult times. And as we wait for the harvest, may we continue to trust in Your unfailing love and provision. In Jesus precious name we pray, Amen. 


Don't' forget to head over to our Facebook group at, https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2 to join in on the discussion. Also check out our public Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083156569388 and give us a like!


I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, and I pray your day overflows with love and blessings.


💖 Lisa


Faith

Thursday Jan. 20th- A Shelter and Refuge

6:00 PM

 


 



From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy.   Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.
Selah. Psalms 61:2-4

During the times when our life is uncertain or we are dealing with anxiety, worry and fears, where do you run to?  Do you run to a friend, food or anything else that will for a time quiet your mind and heart? 

The Lord is a strong tower that we can run into and be safe.  How do you do that?  Spend time in His Word everyday seeking Him, praying His Word, and resting in His promises.  It is a matter of faith, belief, trust, hope and perseverance.  Run to Him first and let Him quiet you.  He only is the One who gives us peace that passes all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 

Selah,

Lyn

Esau

How Bad Do You Want It?

6:32 AM



Are you familiar with the story in Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestles with God? Jacob, who twenty years earlier had fled to the land of Paddan-aram to escape the fury of his twin brother Esau whose birthright he had stolen, was now headed back to his home of Canaan with his wives, children, servants, and livestock.

He sends a messenger ahead to inform Esau of his coming, and much to his dismay Jacob learns that his brother is on his way with four hundred men by his side! Afraid this could only mean destruction, Jacob divides everyone and everything into two camps with the hopes that if one is destroyed the other will be spared. And after praying to God for deliverance, Jacob sends his entire company ahead in groups one after the other, until finally he is the only one left. 

Scared and alone, Jacob is approached by a strange man who mysteriously shows up and wrestles with him until daybreak. But this is no mere man. It is God Himself. And after deciding the match has gone on long enough, God dislocates Jacob’s hip with a touch of His hand and demands to be let go. But instead of releasing the Lord Jacob cries out, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” (Gen. 32:26) 


Jacob wanted that blessing from God and nothing would stop him until he got it. No amount of pain, fatigue, or fear was going to keep him from prevailing! So how about you? Is there a blessing that you want from God? Are you willing to be a warrior like Jacob to get it? Will you go to the mat with God wrestling in the dirt, fighting through the pain, enduring the exhaustion, and never letting go unless He blesses you? God rewarded Jacob’s dedication with that blessing he battled so hard for, and promises the same to us. All we have to do is ask ourselves, “How bad do you want it? “



Becky Austin

Let Good Persevere (Romans 12)

3:40 AM





The early church lived in perilous times. They faced the very real trials of potential persecution, imprisonment, and even death to live out their beliefs. But, in Romans, they are encouraged to persevere through such uncertain times and worship God by committing their very lives wholeheartedly. 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (12:1-2)

To persevere in trying circumstances is no easy task but Paul gives us 3 vital keys.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (12:12)

Our greatest witness to the world can be in how we respond to difficulty and adversity.  How we respond to others can be a great opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ. If Christ reached out to us in our sin and despair, shouldn’t we extend His love to others who also desperately need it? Our wounded human instincts may cause us to want to avoid others, reject or retaliate against their behaviors, but each person we interact with needs to see Jesus through our responses to them. 

Persevering includes extending grace to others and representing Christ in every opportunity.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  (12:15-18)

Not every person is easy to extend love to. Not every person is easy to be kind to.  We must be patient and pray for Gods help to love others as He asks us to. When others “push our buttons”, “try our patience”, and “get on our last nerve”, we must remember that there is a spiritual war at stake. We must persevere to seek God’s wisdom in knowing how to respond. We must not repay evil with evil. 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (12:21)


don't quit

Pressing On {Philippians 3: 12-17}

12:00 AM

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:12-17


I don't think there is a believer alive today that has suffered for the gospel an much as Paul did two thousand years ago. I believe I would have been inclined to give up and turn back had I had to face even a small amount of all Paul faced in his lifetime; which is why his words here to the Philippian church  inspire me:

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:12-14)

The definition to persevere is to keep on, keep going, not give up, struggle on, hammer away, be persistent, be determined, see/follow something through, keep at it, show determination, press on/ahead, stay with something, not take no for an answer, be tenacious, be pertinacious, be patient, stand one's ground, stand fast/firm, hold on, hold out, go the distance, stay the course, plod on, plow on, grind away, stop at nothing,

 What made Paul continue to persevere when most would have given up? I think finding the answer to this question will also help us to keep going the next time we're tempted to quit.  Notice what Paul says, "...I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"

 Paul set a goal before him! Have you set a goal or goals for your life?
A life without any goals I believe would be like a ship without sails, a compass or map; just drifting aimlessly through life hoping to achieve something that would make your life worth living. Notice that not only had the apostle Paul set a goal, but he kept that goal constantly before him! He was pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus! 
I think it is safe to say that by setting a goal(s), we are making a decision to ACT. Our goal could be to be the best wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, teacher, nurse, doctor, etc. 

 I remember discovering my son had a learning disability in school and as time went on, he grew further behind his peers in reading, and he didn't seem to be receiving the help he needed to succeed! 
I made a decision then that I needed to do all I could to get him the help he needed! That was my goal! Only, I'm not a very good confrontational person. In fact, I HATE confrontation and it turned out that I had to attend meeting after meeting after meeting until I went all the way up to board of education in our city; in front of the news media and everyone before I finally received what I was seeking!! 
There were plenty of times I wanted to give up. More times than I can count when I cried out to The Lord to simply intervene! It was not only the goal, however, that kept me going, but the consequences that could have possibly happen if I failed. With God's help I reached my goal and my son received the help he needed, and not only my son, but others as well, and today my son is extremely successful at all he does. To God goes the glory! 
One truth I learned during that time was that a goal is not merely a dream, wish etc. It's so much more than that! It's not, "Oh, I wish I could" or "I hope I can" it's declaring all we want to achieve for the Lord! It's a declaration of faith that cannot fail! 
What do you plan to achieve for God, your family and yourself? Declare it! Commit it to Him and go....girl ! All for His glory! 


1 Samuel

Perseverance {1 Samuel}

12:00 AM


1 Samuel (the entire chapter)

I hope you all have been enjoying our topical study this year as much as I have.  Since we’ve decided to put our writing on hold for the summer, ending with perseverance seem fitting.  We have to persevere in our faith journey.  The Lord “drives our trials out little by little, one by one, as He grows us to full stature in Christ" (“When God Makes You Wait”).  Exodus 23:29-30

When I started this post, it was only supposed to be on 1 Samuel 12.  But the entire book is about perseverance. Hannah's Prayer and her response to the Lord’s blessing is the kind of faith I desire.  Waiting – persevering through the wait.  Glorifying and praising God through the process of waiting.  I could share my long list of things I’m waiting for, but I won’t.

1 Samuel 16 is where we see young David anointed as King, yet it was nearly 15 years before he actually became king.  If you turn to the Psalms, you will see just how often David praised God while he waited.

We persevere with people like Jonathan in our lives.  We need people to strengthen us in God.

 Image result for Hebrews 3:12-13

The writers here at Women In The Word may be taking a break from writing, but we are here for you and we will continue to encourage you throughout the summer.

This is a good time for all of us to persevere – quietly waiting through a trial.  To thank the Lord for giving us blind faith and knowing that He will work it together for our good.  It’s a good time to practice continual prayer AND worship.  Perhaps as you relax in your yard this summer, you pray the entire time for the opportunity to rest and for the beautiful weather.  Thank the Lord for the time to sit at His feet.  Pray all summer for wisdom.  I know God will always grant us wisdom.  Perhaps let this summer be only for praise!  Pray for wisdom and praise the Lord in the process!

As you take the time to read the entire book of 1 Samuel, you will discover that David was on the run for nearly 8 years!  It was during this time that God taught David perseverance.  But God also humbled David.  Just think about being anointed so young or slaying a giant as a kid!  Or how his musical abilities calmed the mad-man Saul.  Pride could have taken over.  But instead, God used this trial of waiting and suffering to keep David humble and relying on God.  This time of suffering produced perseverance and it molded and shaped David to trust God completely!

That long list of mine…  I’m going to thank the Lord for the list and sit back and trust where and how He brings me to the end of each issue.  Some may end quickly, others may stay on the list for a few more years.

 Image result for Romans 5:3-5


Endurance

The Polish of Perseverance {James 1}

12:30 AM


Monday, May 27  

James 1 

The Petoskey is the state stone of Michigan. As a child I would comb the beaches of many lakes for the perfect piece of this fossilized coral. Dull and pitted in its natural state, with repeated sanding and rinsing, the scratches and rough edges would wear away. And once the polishing cream was rubbed in, that stone was a treasure to behold; smooth to the touch with a shine like glass. 


An Indian guru once said, “The stones of a river start out rough, but with the current continually bumping and polishing them, they end up being beautiful.” I couldn’t think of a more perfect description of the Christian life. Each of us are as river stones. Rough and jagged around the edges, tossed and turned in the raging current of life. And although no one looks forward to the grating friction brought on by tribulations, James tells us when trouble does come our way we are to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.” (vs. 2) 

Why is there joy in trials? Because as James tells us, “the testing of your faith produces  perseverance”. (vs. 3) And what is perseverance? A “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” (dictionary.com) Spiritual perseverance means never giving up no matter how hard our circumstance may be. It means trusting that God is using our situation not only to grow our faith, but to work all things together for our good. (Rom. 8:28) And there is great joy to be found in knowing that our Father does so in love, with the purpose of making us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (vs. 4) 

“The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.”...Daniel Defoe

No one is exempt from the trials of life. And although painful, James tells there is much to be gained from the perseverance of weathering the storm. For just like a Roman philosopher once said, “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” In 1 Peter 2:4, Jesus is called a, “living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God.” We too are choice and precious stones to God. He lovingly refines and purifies us until we are smoothed by faith and polished by perseverance. There is no one who endured or persevered more than Christ. And as His followers it is our goal to each day become more like Him and to follow His example. Doing so not only deepens our relationship with God, to those who endure to the end James promises a great reward. “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him”. (vs. 12) And as for me, knowing that I will be spending eternity in paradise with the Lord, is worth any trial or tribulation,  no matter how hard! 

For more encouragement, follow the link! http://t2womenintheword.blogspot.com/2017/11/walking-in-diligent-perseverance-2.html


Hiding God's Word in our Heart

Isaiah 46:4 ~ Perseverance ~ His expectation

12:00 AM

Saturday, May 25, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

 This coming week's memory verse is Isaiah 46:4...

 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (NIV)

 When Noah was building the ark in the middle of a desert, and was being ridiculed by the people around him, he did not give up or turn his back to God. He was given a task to complete, and he didn’t quit until it was. He showed tremendous perseverance! Perseverance is what we all need to be part of God’s Kingdom. This is God’s expectation of us…and He has given us His Helper to make sure we meet it!

 We must be willing to follow His ways through our trials. We must be willing to stay strong in our faith and hope in Him. We must be willing to keep our focus on Him whatever troubles may come our way. And by live through our trials, we honor God and learn the lessons our trials may teach us. Our calling is work. This is perseverance. 
“And perseverance is a blessing. We have hope. We have faith. We can stand up to things because of the greatness we can look forward to, because every trial is another test to strengthen and to purify our faith, and because at the end of it Jesus Christ is waiting to say, ‘Well done!’ to all ‘his faithful servants.’”(Pentlin)

 Have a blessed day and week everyone!





God's love

Walking in Fervent Love until the End {Revelation 2}

10:30 PM



John was told to write what he saw in a book and send that book to the 7 churches in Asia. (Rev. 1:11). The entire Book of Revelation which includes the special messages to those 7 churches, was sent to those churches and a blessing was pronounced upon all who would read, hear and keep the words contained in this prophecy. Jesus wanted believers to know that He knew exactly where they were. He saw their good works, faithfulness and patience in the face of persecution. He also saw the bad which included their compromise, apostasy, indifference and lack of love.

Jesus talked about these events while still being with the disciples:
10 At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. (Matt. 24:10-14 AMP)




Apostasy:  in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith = a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. ( Tim. 4:1-3; 2Thess. 2:3; 2Pe. 3:17, 2Tim. 4:4). (International SB Encyclopedia)

Jesus wanted them to know that despite persecution and their corruption, He’d stand in their midst as a mighty conqueror and that through Him they too could overcome!

John writes to the Church of Ephesus:” 3 and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]. 4 But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. (emphasis mine)

Here are seven warning signs that show that a church or individual has left their first love.
(1)   Christ is no longer the central focus in your life; (2:4)
(2)   You neglect your relationship with the Lord and spend less time in prayer, worship and the Word;
(3)   You allow family, friends, job and your own desires to come between you and your relationship with God;
(4)   There is a loss of intimacy in your relationship with God;
(5)   You are caught in a cycle of dead works;
(6)   You are more tolerant of sin; (idolatry and sexual immorality- 2: 14-15, 20)
(7)   You will no longer have a burning passion for the lost.

Many of us know people who were once walking close with Christ and now because of compromise and worldliness lose out with God. If this is the condition of you or your church, Jesus is calling us to REPENT:
 5 So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]”.(AMP)




 Jesus, then praises them as we see in the next verses.
“6 Yet you have this [to your credit], that you hate the works and corrupt teachings of the [c]Nicolaitans [that mislead and delude the people], which I also hate.  He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who [d]overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’ (2:6-7)

There are precious promises for those who remain faithful to the very end (2:10-11, 17, 26-28)!

There is much labor ahead of us:  Revelation 2:26 "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:" You see here that Jesus specifies His works are what is to be done. It also means that we should not just do a little and get self-satisfied, but stay with the Lord's work to the very end. Just as Jesus told the parable of the good servant (Luke 19), we must be a good servant and bring the fruits of our labor to Jesus.. He also promises that His faithful will rule. Remember, the power is Jesus'. He gives us His power. This power is to do His will as we walk in His Truth.  We are working under Jesus' direction. He is our leader!

Revelation 2:28 "And I will give him the morning star."
Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star. He promises to give Himself to those who will follow Him. Although the morning star has already dawned in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19), someday we will have Him in His fullness!

Revelation 2:29 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
Notice again this message is not just given to this one church of Thyatira, but to “unto the churches”.

Before closing today’s study, let me ask you: do you remember the day you received Jesus as your personal Savior? Compare your love for the Lord today with what it was then. Has your love grown deeper or has it lost its fervency? Are your works motivated by a passionate love for God or are you doing them as part of a Christian duty? Ask the Lord to forgive you for leaving your first love! Begin to do your first works again! Make a new commitment to the basics of prayer, worship, and the study of His Word. Let me remind you to: …” [a]fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment]…” of your first love through a renewed communion with the Lord (2 Tim 1:6). This fervent love is required of all those who belong to the Lord.!!  (Matt. 22:37-38)
We must take heed to the warnings. Let us open the ears of our heart and receive Jesus in His fullness.
"The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands and forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Ex. 34:6-7).

Thank you Father for your abounding Love and Faithfulness, may we found faithful servants walking in fervent love until the very end!

Blessings,


Mari

2 Peter

Walking in Diligent Perseverance {2 Peter 3 }

11:00 PM



Today Peter reminds his beloved people that the Day of the Lord is near. That they should be resting on His promise with faith! I still remember the first day I heard of Jesus’ return, I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I was thrilled and so eagerly waited in the next few days for Him to come!! So many years have gone by and I sadly have to confess there have been times in my life I’ve lost that zeal, by getting so caught up in the cares of this world! I praise our Father for not giving up on us!! And this is Peter’s concern, so he warns us that we should be careful, we need to be reminded of and remember the old truths that we already possess, but tend to forget.  We must continue to stand firm on our faith!  We must warn those who might take these Truths for granted and might even answer: “Yes, I know that…”, but will continue to live as this would not happen in the near future. Then there are those who won’t even believe that He will come at all, because they see no changes and they’d just rather live according to this world’s standards -Psalm 55:19- (3:3-7).

As I look back to my childhood, and all the years that our Father has granted me to this day I am forever grateful, He has delayed His return for my sake and the sake of my loved ones (3:9-10): giving us the opportunity to get to know Him more through His Word and also to witness to those who are astray, and some others have received His Salvation! But there is still much work to do!


Jesus warned:  “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him”.(Matt. 24:42-44)
Peter points out that the God who created the universe by His word and destroyed the wicked in the flood, has also warned that He will judge the ungodly in the future by fire.  (3:10-11) –Mal. 4:1, 2Thess 1:7-
Peter encourages us: “So, beloved, since you are looking forward to these things, be diligent and make every effort to be found by Him [at His return] spotless and blameless, in peace [that is, inwardly calm with a sense of spiritual well-being and confidence, having lived a life of obedience to Him]. 15 And consider the patience of our Lord [His delay in judging and avenging wrongs] as salvation [that is, allowing time for more to be saved]” (14-15)

To be diligent (2 Tim. 2:15) means giving our attention to something. It implies making every effort or exerting ourselves toward a goal. It doesn’t happen accidentally. It requires deliberate focus. The forces of the world and our flesh are so great that if we do not apply diligence, we will be carried along in the wrong direction

That fact that God’s Day of Judgment is coming, should motivate us to live in diligent perseverance, which rests on four things: (Bible.org)

- the hope of His coming;
- holiness  (1Pe. 1:15) necessary for a clear conscience  (living in peace) –Ro.12:18, 14:19-;
- developing a heart for the lost (3:15a),
- and laying hold of the Truths from the Scriptures (1Thess.2:13, Gal. 1:11-12)

As Peter finishes his final epistle, concerned about the influence of false teachings, he wants us to persevere and he  exhorts us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He gives us three essentials for perseverance in the faith: guard ourselves from spiritual error, grow in the grace and knowledge of Him, and live to glorify His name. (3:18)

 “You will never feel yourself such a worm as when, by faith, you see your Savior dying for you; you will never know your own nothingness so well as when you see your Savior’s greatness. When you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you will be sure to grow in humility.” C.H. Spurgeon

Christ didn’t give His life for us just to start the Christian life. He gave His life so that we would finish it and finish it well! So remember: walk in diligent perseverance!!

 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12)! Let us  Glorify Him both now and unto the day of eternity!

Blessings!
Mari